Simmons CEO gets added duties

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill.--The chief executive officer of a bedding manufacturer in Janesville has been given added responsibilities.

Gary Fazio, the current CEO of Simmons Bedding, will become the CEO of the Serta Simmons Holdings.

He will be responsible for overseeing both the Serta and Simmons businesses, which will continue to maintain separate product development, marketing and sales divisions.

Fazio has 41 years of bedding manufacturing and retail experience. He joined Simmons in 2010 after the company's restructuring. Prior to joining Simmons, he was the CEO of Mattress Firm for nine years before being named chairman in 2010.

“We have great people at Serta and Simmons,” he said. “Together we will continue to lead the industry delivering innovative products, investing in all of our brands and providing differentiated services to our channel partners and end consumers.”

Fazio assumed the responsibilities for Serta after CEO Bob Sherman decided to leave the company to pursue other interests.

Simmons's largest plant is in Janesville. The company has 18 other manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Last year, the Boston-based private equity firm of Advent International bought a majority interest in AOT Bedding Super Holdings, the parent company of both Simmons and Serta.

Simmons and Serta are managed jointly by the board of directors of their holding company and maintain separate sales, marketing, merchandising and customer-specific product design functions.